Tarky takes to the big time

EYES ON THE BALL: James Tarkowski covers against City.

JAMES Tarkowski had to learn how to combat a different style of play against Manchester City.

While npower League One's scrappier contests see possession given up easily, with players like Nigel de Jong and Samir Nasri controlling operations that was never going to be the case at Boundary Park earlier this week.

For the 19-year-old, it meant furthering his football education by being alert at all times to through-balls and runs from behind.

But only once did Roque Santa Cruz get the better of Tarkowski, the ball rebounding off the heels of the highly promising centre-back into his path, allowing the £17.5million Paraguayan to slip round Alex Cisak to score.

The highly-promising young defender looks certain to start the season as first choice centre-back alongside Jean-Yves Mvoto.

After the final friendly of the season against Huddersfield at Boundary Park on Saturday, a Capital One Cup-tie against Championship club Sheffield Wednesday is followed by a trip to MK Dons in the league — a side noted for patient build-up play similar to City's.








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